A US woman who shot and killed her husband and two adult children before taking her own life is thought to have committed the shocking crime as a result of being ostracised from the religion she was raised in.

A federal judge sentenced a former Arkansas judge Wednesday to five years in prison — a stiffer punishment than prosecutors recommended — after he admitted giving young male defendants lighter sentences in return for personal benefits that included sexual favours.

Every time I tell a mate I’m doing a story on cryptocurrency, they invariably ask me the same two questions: should they invest their own hard-earned money, and which cryptocurrency will get them a Lamborghini/yacht/island quickest?

In a 60 Minutes online exclusive, reporter Liz Hayes quizzed Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on his relationship with the unpredictable Twitter aficionado and US president Donald Trump ahead of their meeting at the White House Friday.

Britain's new 'colossal' warships to test China in disputed waters

Two giant British aircraft carriers will be sent through a hotly disputed part of the South China Sea, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson announced in Sydney.

Johnson confirmed the freedom-of-navigation operation - a pointed signal to China - after meeting with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop as well as the defence ministers from both countries.

"One of the first things we will do with the two new colossal aircraft carriers that we have just built is send them on a freedom-of-navigation operation to this area to vindicate our belief in the rules-based

international system and in the freedom of navigation through those waterways which are absolutely vital for world trade," Johnson said

Bishop welcomed greater British involvement in the Asia-Pacific region at the Aukmin meeting.

"We spoke about the challenges including in the South China Sea and we had a long discussion about the Pacific and the opportunities for deeper British engagement in our part of the world," she told reporters.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the largest and costliest ship to ever serve in the UK Royal Navy. (Supplied).

They agreed to identify opportunities to conduct - where possible - joint activities when the two countries have ships or planes in the area at the same time.

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Beijing's building of islands in part of the South China Sea and its declaration of an air defence zone in waters of the East China Sea have alarmed regional neighbours such as Japan.

They have also been condemned by the US, Australia and Britain who are alarmed China may develop the ability to dictate access to the South China Sea - which is of strategic military importance and a major trade route.

But sending Britain's newest and most costly aircraft carriers to the region could be regarded as provocative by Beijing.

The controversial man-made islands in the South China Sea constructed by China.

One of the carriers, the HMS Queen Elizabeth, is the largest ship ever built for the Royal Navy, and is currently on its initial sea trial. It is expected to be fully operational by the end of this year.

The second vessel in the class, HMS Prince of Wales, is being fitted out in Scotland and will be officially named in September.

Speaking to the ABC last night, British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon declined to give any firm details about the deployment,

But he said the India Pacific Ocean was an area of "increasing tension".